Path of 1,000 Broken Hearts
by MissEbony
Summary: Not many liked the Sultan Rin, yet no one dared to openly say that out loud. The Sultan carried an infamous reputation that whoever he married, male or female, would always somehow die. Makoto hopes that would not fall as another one of Rin's victims. [yaoi, AU, RinxMako; fin.]
1. Chapter 1: Outbursts

_[A/N]_ **Welcome to my third _Free!_ fanfic. I hope you all enjoy! :3 I mixed the Japanese and Arabian cultures if you don't mind. **

_[D/C]_ **I (sadly) do not own _Free! Iwatobi Swim Club_.**

* * *

_{**01**}_

【**OUTBURTS**】

* * *

"Why do they keep on dying?" The Sutlan snarled. He slammed his fist on the mahogany table in front of him. The servers and guards around him involuntarily flinched. Though they had spent years with the Sultan they still were not used to his hot temper. "Why?!" The Sultan repeated.

No one dared to even think about the explanation as to why the Sultan's spouses committed suicide or ran away (they ended up destined for death either way). One of the guards cleared his throat and stepped forward. Everyone turned their eyes to him. They all wondered if he had gone sick in the brain for such boldness.

"My dear Sultan, do you think that it is the best idea to marry yet again?" The Sultan raised an eyebrow at his guard yet didn't comment, which made all in the room uneasy. "All those you marry, male or female, result in the same outcome: death. Perhaps you should take a moment to recollect yourself before moving on." Everyone felt their stomachs simultaneously flip as the Sultan smiled instead of yell at the guard.

"I will take a break, thank you for the advice Tachibana. But after three weeks from today I want your son to be my next spouse." The smirk deepened. Tachibana nearly gasped when he saw his Sultan's fang like teeth catch the sun's light. "Everyone is dismissed!" The Sultan called out. Everyone dispersed immediately.

Before Tachibana left the Sultan grabbed the sleeve of his robe. "If I don't have your son exactly twenty-one days from now I will not only murder you but him, your other children, and your wife." Some would find it flattering that a ruler would know so much about his people, but under the Sultan's palace they found it terrifying.

Tachibana gulped before nodding and exiting the room.

* * *

"Welcome back home!" Tachibana's children and wife greeted. One glance at his family made the man burst into tears.

"What's wrong father?" His eldest son asked. Tachibana touched his cheek and sighed.

"I'm very sorry Makoto. I'm afraid that the Sultan has selected you marry him." Makoto's eyes widened. They quickly transformed from their usual serene green to a panicked hue.

"How can this be? How does the Sultan even know who I am?" Tachibana sighed.

"I believe he chose you because I angered him today." He carefully folded his shocked son into his arms. "You have twenty-one more days with your mother and brother and sister. My deepest apologizes Mako-kun." Makoto's eyes widened further at his father's use of his pet name. He couldn't recall his father calling him that since he was as young as his siblings.

A choked sob interrupted the father-son embrace. "Why are you crying?" The girl asked. Their mother simply shook her head.

"You never cry." The boy stated. She shook her head again.

"It's okay Ren-kun and Ran-chan, your mother's just a little sad." She turned toward her husband and eldest son. "I don't want my Mako-chan to leave."

Tachibana sighed and gathered his wife in his arms also. "I'm very, very sorry Sakiko-san. I shouldn't have said anything." Sakiko's muted sobs soon became a full episode of hysterics in just moments.

She cried on both her husband's and her son's shoulders. "I don't want you leave me Makoto, please don't go." Ren and Ran looked on with confusion at the trio of crying and hugging people. After a moment they latched themselves on the legs of the people they looked up to.

In the younger ones' minds they believed that their older brother was simply not going to be home for a while. But in the older ones' minds they knew that their son was never going to return to them.


	2. Chapter 2: Pain

_{**02**}_

【**PAIN**】

* * *

"What do you mean that Rin is not attending his own wedding?" Makoto heard one guest ask. He flinched at the use of his future husband's name. Perhaps the person who addressed him was a friend or was simply rude.

"You know it's not uncommon for a man not to attend to his own wedding, especially the Sultan. This must be his thousandth marriage, right?" Makoto soon became interested in the conversation. He pretended to gather more grapes and cheeses on his platter as he eavesdropped.

"It feels like the thousandth. But someone told me that this is around the thirty-second." Makoto dropped his plate on the table ahead of him. He didn't even bother to pick up the rolling fruits and squares by his feet. His fear of the predicament he was in greatly increased suddenly.

"Oh look, there he is now." He heard one of the men say. Makoto pasted a smile on his face as he bowed towards the other men. "He has such manners." He heard one murmur under his breath.

"Thank you." Makoto said. The other men did not return his bow. He guessed that they were possibly neighboring nobles of some sort. "I am Tachibana Makoto."

"I am Ryugazaki Rei." The blue haired one greeted.

"And I'm Mikoshiba Seijuro. We're both treasurers." Makoto nodded.

"Thank you for your service and attending my wedding." Makoto bowed once again. He felt intimidated by their status and Seijuro's height. Makoto was tall himself, yet the second treasurer was even taller.

Seijuro chuckled suddenly. "Why are you being so polite? We can clearly see that you do not want to be here." Makoto looked down at his feet.

"I don't know." He murmured. Seijuro stopped laughing at the sound of melancholy in Makoto's tone.

"My apologies," he said. The two treasures then walked away.

* * *

Makoto found the night never ending. Yet he would admit that he enjoyed the dancers that preformed. Pure blonde hair was a rarity in the empire and he found their many jewels, pink tunics, and green veils beautiful.

The green-eyed boy solemnly removed some of his own attire. He kept on the red turban that his mother had made for him (just for the wedding) and the necklace that his father had given him though.

After he was finished Makoto studied his reflection in the mirror that hung on the wall. He remembered the day he had first seen his reflection when he was around twelve years old. At first everyone in the household thought they were hideous. It took them some time to become adjusted to their doppelgängers.

He absentmindedly adjusted the black sash on his shoulder before he heard the door open. An expressionless Sultan entered the room. "You are Makoto?" He asked.

"Yes." Makoto answered. His heart became saddened. He wondered what type of relationship they would have if the Sultan didn't even remember his name. Yet he was surprised that the Sultan was wearing a red turban also despite the fact that he did not even go to his own wedding.

"Can you take your head coverings off for me?" Makoto quickly did as told. "Come here." He slowly walked over to the Sultan. He was unsure on whether to bow or not. "Are you showing defiance to your new husband?" Makoto immediately got on his knees and gave the deepest bow he could.

"My deepest apologizes my Sultan." He murmured. After a minute he stood back up. Rin still had an odd emotionless expression. Makoto briefly wondered why he was looking so stoic.

"Lay down on the bed." The Sultan said. Makoto took note of the slight softness of his tone. He did as told once again. He watched as the Sultan slowly made his way to the bed also. Each step made Makoto's heart beat faster.

Rin pressed his face in the crook of his new spouse's neck. "Do you know what happens now?" Makoto shivered. He knew that the Sultan had great knowledge over marriages. Perhaps he was just being teased with.

"If I were a woman then you would break my hymen." Makoto quietly answered. He felt the Sultan breathe heavily on his skin.

"In private you are allowed to call me Rin. That is a privilege, don't lose it." Makoto nodded. He suddenly felt kisses trace along his jawline. "Why are you so tall? You're about two inches taller than me, correct? I would say that you're around the same height as Seijuro-san."

Makoto was speechless by the facts that the Sultan was pleasuring him and that he was so talkative. He had expected Rin to have this cold demeanor. Though he didn't exactly have a "warm" personality Rin was somewhat still inviting.

Makoto felt his hand grip the sheets underneath him. He found that he did that not because of the heavy desire he was feeling, but because of the softness of the first kiss that he and Rin shared. "My apologizes that I couldn't attend the wedding. I was actually swimming, which is much ruder than being sick."

"That's alright." Makoto said.

"Will you see that as our official kiss?" Makoto nodded. Rin kissed him again. "You know, you're not a girl so you do not have a hymen to break." Makoto nodded in confusion. What was his Sultan plotting? "That means I'll have to break something else." Makoto felt Rin begin to remove both of their sashes and jewelry and robes.

"W-What are y-you doing?" Makoto stuttered. Rin looked down at him. Brief anger showed on his face before he tossed the articles of clothing and such aside.

"You'll see." He whispered.


	3. Chapter 3: Discovery

_{**03**}_

【**DISCOVERY**】

* * *

The Sultan and his newlywed rested with their backs to each other. Makoto was unsure if Rin had fallen asleep yet because he could not hear any noises come from the Sultan.

Rin had not given Makoto a change to wash or even dress before they went to bed. He still felt the oil that Rin had poured on him coat his outside and insides. He touched his neck. He wanted to retrieve his father's necklace but the possibility that Rin would awaken was much too risky.

The olive-haired boy touched his eyes. He felt them begin to water. He wasn't sure if he was crying for physical or emotional reasons. He decided it was both. He missed his mother and brother and sister dearly. And his lower half was in tremendous pain (though it had dulled some now).

Makoto flinched when he felt the mattress underneath him. "You're awake." Rin called out. Makoto slowly turned around. The Sultan still had his back to him. "You're very attractive. Did I steal you away from anyone?"

"No." Makoto answered. After a pause he decided to continue speaking. "I was focused on helping my family and my studies than to find someone."

"What were you studying?" Makoto wondered why Rin was so curious about him. He also imagined that the Sultan only desired sex from his many spouses.

"I was interested in literature." Makoto simply answered. His eyes widened when he heard the Sultan chuckle. Scarlet eyes then suddenly looked at him through the darkness.

"When I did my studies I was terrible in literature, I think I still am. My best subjects were arithmetic and foreign languages." Rin then sat up. "Hand me the lamp."

Makoto blindly reached over and groped for the small lamp that was next to him. He heard Rin pour oil, strike a match, and then light it. The Sultan looked somewhat threatening from the low light. Makoto simply stared ahead.

"You're not any different, eh?" Rin said. "Most are scared of me. And some men had the liberty to be angry." He gestured for Makoto to move closer to him. The green-eyed boy did so as quickly as he could. The pain in his lower half prevented him to move as he desired.

"Rin-dono," Makoto slowly said, "are you alright?" Rin scoffed.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You're the one you just lost their virginity." Makoto gave a small smile.

"I just wanted to make sure that you enjoyed yourself, that's all." Rin smiled though there was no friendliness behind it.

"I like your attitude. Come closer." Makoto slowly shifted himself into a sitting position also. He almost collapsed back down on the bed. "You're in pain aren't you?" Rin moved their positions so that Makoto rested against his chest. "Is this better?"

"Thank you Rin-dono." Makoto murmured. Another chuckle came from the Sultan.

"There's no need to be formal. You don't even have to address me as 'Rin-san.' Just call me Rin." Makoto nodded. "How old are you? You still live with your parents, you're studying, and you're very polite. I'm guessing you must be around sixteen or so."

"I'll be seventeen years old in autumn." Makoto answered. In the back of his mind he knew that he wasn't the youngest person that the Sultan had been with. He remembered the time when his father had informed him that Rin had married a twelve-year-old girl. The marriage only lasted a year and ended with the girl running away and murdered for trespassing a neighboring empire.

Rin stroked Makoto's hair and pressed his nose against the scalp. He inhaled the light scents of jasmine and spices. "Go to sleep." He softly murmured. In the warmth of his Sultan Makoto obeyed.

* * *

Makoto wandered around the palace. He knew that he would not get used to servants and slaves bowing to him as he walked down the passageways. Eventually Makoto found himself in one of the kitchens.

The room was surprisingly empty. The sound of a dish clattering on the floor told Makoto that someone was indeed inside. He fully walked inside to find a shattered plate on the floor and a young man hurrying to clean it. "Do you need help?" Makoto saw clear shock in the man's blue eyes as he looked up.

"Matusoka-dono, good afternoon," the man said. "I don't need any help." Makoto got on his knees and helped the kitchen attendant nonetheless. He found it odd that he was addressed as "Matsuoka-dono" or "-sama" in the palace. He wanted to be simply known as Makoto, he wasn't anything special.

"What's your name?" Makoto asked after the mess was cleaned.

"Nanase Haruka." The man bowed as he stood. Makoto resisted returning the bow.

"Why are you alone Haruka-san?" He asked.

"It's midday and there's no need to cook. I was just drying the fish that was caught yesterday." Makoto nodded. "If you like you can tell me your favorite foods Matsuoka-dono."

"Do you know everyone's favorite foods?" Makoto curiously asked. Haruka nodded.

"For example, the Sultan loves all types of meat and spicy foods. Yet he doesn't like to overindulge himself in sweet foods." Makoto smiled. He could tell that this man was hardworking.

"I enjoy green curry and chocolates." Haruka nodded. Makoto hoped that he wasn't asking for too much. Curry was an easy dish to prepare but chocolate was a rare delicacy for their site. "Thank you for asking."

"There's no need to be so kind to me Matsuoka-dono, I am simply a cook." Makoto shook his head and smiled.

"That's all the reason to be nice to you. You make sure that everyone's fed, and there are a lot of people in this palace." Even though Haruka didn't smile, Makoto could tell that he was happy. "And please don't call me 'Matsuoka-dono,' it feels weird. You can call me Makoto or at least Tachibana."

Haruka nodded. "Can you call me Haru?" Makoto nodded.

"I'm going to leave now. Have a nice day Haru."

"You too Makoto-san," Haruka said. He then returned to drying the fish as Makoto left.

* * *

Makoto looked out the window. The view of the horizon as the sun set never seized to faze Makoto. He was then interrupted as something shoved into him. He looked down to see a silver-haired boy sprawled out on the ground. The boy then immediately jumped and returned back to the ground to deeply bow. "My deepest apologies for bumping into you Matsuoka-dono, please forgive me!"

Makoto smiled. He offered his hand towards the boy. "What's your name and what do you do?" He asked. The boy's eyes widened as he accepted the help that Makoto offered.

"I am Ai and I am just the Sultan's servant." Makoto's smile turned more genuine at the boy's words.

"What do you mean 'just the Sultan's servant?' That's a great accomplishment." Makoto noticed that the boy was shirtless and barefoot. He decided not pry though. "'Ai' means 'love.' Why do they call you that?" Ai frantically shook his head.

"No. They call me Ai because my full name is Aiichiro and it's too long to say." Makoto nodded.

"Is it too much to ask how old you are?" Ai shook his head.

"I am sixteen years old."

"Sixteen!" Makoto repeated. Ai clumsily bowed again.

"I'm sorry to upset you again Matsuoka-dono. Please forgive me!" Makoto pulled Ai to feet again.

"I'm sorry. I was just surprised that you're the same age as me." Ai frowned.

"I am?" Makoto nodded. "That's—"

"Ai, Matsuoka, what are you two doing?" They both turned to find the Sultan himself glaring at them. Ai quickly bowed before running down the hallway. Makoto stared at his mate.

"It's time for supper, and you're just wandering around." Makoto didn't like the idea of being scolded. His mother and father never had to do so when he was a child. Rin turned to the man on his right side. "Sei-kun, lead Matsuoka to the dining hall, I have business to attend to."

Seijuro nodded. "Come on Matsuoka-sama, let's go get you something to eat." Makoto meekly nodded and followed him.


	4. Chapter 4: Truth

_{**04**}_

【**TRUTH**】

* * *

"Are you enjoying the royal life?" Seijuro asked. Makoto felt a frown twitch at the corners of his lips.

"Everyone calls me 'Matsuoka.'" He stupidly said. Seijuro gave a hearty laugh.

"Well when you get married you take on the last name of your spouse. You know that right?" Makoto then fully frowned. He felt like he was going to dislike the treasurer.

"Of course I know that, that's common knowledge." Seijuro frowned also. They walked in silence until they reached an arch in the wall. "This is one of the many dining halls. Please enjoy your dinner Matsuoka-sama." Makoto simply nodded and walked inside.

Though there was a long table only a few people were seated. Makoto only recognized two people in the room: Haruka, who he briefly smiled at, and Rin's younger sister.

The Sultan's younger sister was heavily mentioned around the empire. She was known for her beauty and her heavy interests in the arts and sports. Makoto bowed towards her before taking a seat at her right hand side. "Good evening." He greeted.

"Good evening." She said with a bow and a smile also. "I'm afraid that I never caught your name."

"Tachibana Makoto." Makoto automatically answered. He heard her giggle.

"You're Matsuoka Makoto now, silly. I'm Kou." Makoto felt himself give an airy chuckle. He wasn't sure if he was ever going to become accustomed to his new life.

He heard Haruka snort as he placed plates in front of both of them. "Your name is Gou not 'Kou.'" Gou pouted.

"And your name is Haruka not 'Haru.'"

"At least my nickname makes sense." Their bickering was interrupted by the sound of Makoto laughing. Haruka and Gou reminded him of when his sister and brother would fight back and forth. His heart still ached for his family.

"You two seem to know each other very well." Makoto commented. Gou shrugged and rearranged the gold bands that hung around her neck. She then looked at Makoto when she finished and raised an eyebrow.

"You're married to the Sultan now! Why are you dressed so humbly?" Makoto glanced down at his own attire.

"I'm sorry. Am I supposed to dress a certain way?" He poked at the lettuce of his salad. Though Tachibana was a guard, meat was still scarce to the family. They would usually eat large portions of vegetables and bits of lamb or cow fat. Makoto was amazed by the fact that the salad only took up a quarter of his plate. He wondered how much meat was going to be served.

"Yes!" Gou practically yelled. Makoto nearly dropped his fork in surprise. "After dinner Haru-chan and I will get you some new clothes. It's best to shop at dusk, then people won't bug you." Haru appeared seemingly out of nowhere and served the main courses.

"Don't call me 'Haru-chan.'" He muttered. Gou stuck her tongue out at the man. "That's rude." He said before he walked away.

They were served a whole leg of lamb. Makoto's mouth watered. He immediately cut himself a large slice of the meat before thankfully eating it. "This is delicious." He murmured. In moments he had finished the leg. Gou, who had barely made a dent in her meal, raised an eyebrow at her brother-in-law once more.

"You never had a full leg have you?" Makoto shook his head.

"We would just eat a lot of lettuce and fat if we could spare." He saw Gou's eyes tear up suddenly. "Gou-san I'm sorry if I upset you." He quickly said. She shook her head.

"I just feel bad for those who haven't even seen a full meal before." The female next to Gou pressed a cloth into her hand. "Thank you Chi-chan." Makoto turned his attention to her.

"Are you Hanamura Chigusa?" He asked. Chigusa gasped and nodded.

"How does Matsuoka-dono know my name?" He chuckled.

"I saw that you were the only dancer who didn't have blonde hair, so I asked about you." Chigusa's eyes widened.

"You asked about me? Why I'm nobody. Thank you." Makoto shook his head.

"You gave a lovely performance. Why if it wasn't for you then I would have been terribly bored at my wedding." Chigusa smiled.

"Thank you for the compliment Matsuoka-dono."

"It was nothing." When he turned back to Gou he was shocked to see that she had finished her plate.

"Haru-chan, let's go!" She ignored his comment about his preferred name and then they were off into the night.

* * *

Gou had forced Haruka and Makoto into black robes with gold-trim. "You two look so handsome!" She had squealed. Neither Makoto nor Haru were interested as she gathered many robes, headdresses, and accessories for her new brother-in-law.

"You would look so good in this!" "This would make your eyes pop." "You need a turban in this color." Makoto heard her mutter as she got things.

Soon they returned home, each labored with a load of whatever Gou had gotten. "Thank you for taking me out for the evening Haru and Gou-san." Haru simply nodded, dropped the clothes off in Makoto's dressing room (a luxury to Makoto also), and walked away.

Gou set down the clothes she held also and smiled despite her obvious fatigue. "You're welcome oniisan!" She then gasped and covered her mouth. "I'm sorry for calling you that Makoto-san." She quickly said. He shook his head.

"It's okay, call me what you like. But if you called me oniichan then I feel very sad." It took Gou a moment to understand what Makoto had meant.

"You miss your family don't you?" She murmured. Makoto halfheartedly nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. I'm not married to you am I?" Gou didn't seem to find his light joke humorous, in fact tears pooled in her eyes.

"I really like you. I don't want you to die too!" She said. Makoto outstretched his arms towards her. She immediately jumped into his arms and wept. "You've been more of a brother to me in one day then Rin-kun has his whole life." Makoto sighed before he let of her.

"Your brother loves you dearly, I'm sure." Gou didn't comment. She simply wiped her eyes and smiled. It scared Makoto that she looked perfectly normal once more. It saddened him to think that she must have cried often to gain that ability. "Good night Kou." He said.

Gou's eyes widened before she wished him a good night also and pranced away.

* * *

Makoto removed his turban on the memory of last night. He felt a shiver go down his spine at the thought of facing the Sultan again. He did not want a repeat of last night. He simply wanted to go to sleep.

"Why are you staring at the wall?" Makoto jumped. He hadn't heard Rin enter the room.

"My apologies Rin, I was just thinking about something." He quickly answered.

"Oi, go to bed Matsuoka." Makoto did as told, yet he frowned this time.

"May I ask you something?" He asked. Rin hesitated before nodding. "Do you remember my name?" He slowly said. Rin glared at him.

"You're Matsuoka, why?" Makoto shook his head.

"No my first name." Rin rolled his eyes.

"It must have been Takoto, Raoto, or something like that." Makoto looked at the Sultan with sad eyes.

"I'm Matsuoka Makoto." He said. Rin snarled.

"It's not like it's important." Makoto's neck was then sharply bit. He recalled the night before. The Sultan had treated him with some kindness, almost as if they were friends. But now Rin was beginning to form into the stereotype that Makoto had previously viewed him as.

Makoto noticed that Rin was creating marks on his neck and found it odd. The Sultan then grabbed his chin and forced the two to kiss. It wasn't sweet like the kiss they had shared the night before. It was aggressive, needy, and filled with lust.

The green-eyed boy slowly brought his arms up to Rin's back. He felt the Sultan tense before letting go of him. "Why are you touching me?" He asked. Makoto immediately removed his hands.

"I-I don't know." He answered. Rin then huffed and stood up.

"I have to leave. I won't return until midnight. Feel free to fall asleep it you wish." Makoto once again fell into slumber by the command of his Sultan.


	5. Chapter 5: Loneliness

_{**05**}_

【**LONELINESS**】

* * *

Makoto groaned as he looked at his reflection. Reddening bruises decorated his neck. He sighed before he put on his father's necklace and a few gold bands. After Makoto was sure that the Sultan's bites could not be seen he continued to get dressed. He decided to wear an outfit consisting of green, orange, and black. Makoto knew that Gou would be pleased with fact that he was dressing more "royally."

Before Makoto could leave his door was opened. Ai, still without a shirt or sandals, poked his head inside the room. "Matsuoka-dono, the Sultan has requested you. Please follow me."

"What does he want?" Makoto asked. Ai shrugged as they walked down the hallway.

"You look nice today Matsuoka-dono." Ai ran off before Makoto could reply. He looked up to see Rin in the center of a room filled with guards and a few servants.

"Ai said you wanted me." Makoto said as he entered. Rin gestured toward a chair that was across from him. Makoto quickly sat. He watched Rin's eyes observe his appearance. He resisted the urge to squirm in his seat.

"Would you like to accompany me when we go to the neighboring empire in a few hours?" Makoto glanced at the guards that surrounded them. He noticed that they had almost pleading looks on their faces.

He nodded. "I would love to go." Rin nodded also.

"Ai will inform you when we'll be leaving." Makoto nodded, stood, bowed, and then departed.

* * *

Makoto had never left the empire before. Yet his imagination was crushed when he found that outside the walls was simply more sand. He also found the trip lonesome. He hadn't anticipated being alone with only the sand and the sun to keep him company.

Soon they stopped. Makoto was helped out of his seat and he looked at the walls to the new empire. Walking inside he saw that the place looked extremely similar to his home. But he noticed that the people had darker hair colors and were usually tanned.

Makoto and Rin were almost instantly greeted when they entered the palace. As they went into a large room the order of wine and berries immediately overwhelmed Makoto's senses. He noticed that the same dancers from his wedding were there. He saw Chigusa give him a small wink before she spun away. After the performance everyone clapped and then returned to what they were doing before. Rin suddenly left Makoto's side without warning. Makoto felt alone again.

"Did you like the dance?" He heard someone say from behind him. He turned around to find a blond boy staring up at him with hopeful pink eyes.

Makoto smiled. "I enjoyed it greatly." The blond heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief.

"Thank you so much Matsuoka-dono. I live to impress others." Makoto nodded.

"I see." The two began to walk to the other side of the room. "What is your name?" He asked.

The blond suddenly laughed. "I am Hazuki Nagisa." Makoto mentally reprimanded himself. How could he forget the main dancer's name?

"My apologizes Hazuki-san, it seems like I let your name slip my mind." Nagisa briefly left to give Makoto a goblet of wine and a platter stacked high with many foods. It looked like enough food for at least four people to eat. Makoto cleared his throat. "Can you tell me how old you are?" Nagisa swallowed a few pieces of cheese before he set the plate in between them.

"I'm fifteen years old." Makoto gagged on his drink. "Are you okay Matsuoka-dono?" Makoto shook his head. He hadn't expected that there were so many people around his own age. He was surprised that the Sultan was one of the few who were older than him.

"I'm fine. You're just around my age, that's all." Nagisa raised his eyebrows.

"But you look so grown up, and I'm so small." Makoto set down his cup.

"A person's appearance can be very deceiving, remember that Hazuki-san." Nagisa's eyes widened before he returned to his food. The two stood by the table in near complete silence. The sounds of Nagisa chewing and swallowing were the only things that reminded Makoto that he was still there. Eventually Nagisa finished the entire platter by himself. Makoto was amazed by the boy's appetite.

Nagisa bowed. "Thank you for letting me eat with you Matsuoka-dono." Makoto chuckled.

"You did most of the eating." Nagisa laughed also. He then bided farewell and pranced elsewhere. Makoto felt lonely again.

* * *

"Oniisan, come here!" Makoto turned around to find Gou beckoning for him to come outside. He saw that she was with a girl, a woman, and a man. He recognized one of them as Chigusa, yet the other two were unfamiliar to him.

"You call him 'oniisan?'" The woman asked.

"When did you two become so close to one another?" The man asked. Gou hushed them then turned back to Makoto.

"I heard you went to a party, did you enjoy yourself?" Makoto shook his head. Gou frowned. "Did something bad happen?"

"No, no. The party itself was fine. I just didn't enjoy myself because I didn't really have someone to talk to." Gou bit her lip. She then suddenly jumped up from her seat, making everyone else jump also. "Where are my manners? I'm sorry nii. These are my teachers Amakata Miho and Sasabe Goro. You have already met Chi-chan." The two adults bowed towards Makoto.

Makoto noticed that Goro had two piercing in his left ear, the signs of slavery. He felt uneasy suddenly. "It was nice to see you all, but I think I'm going to go take a nap. Have a nice afternoon Amakata-san, Sasabe-san, Hanamura-chan, and Gou."

As he left he heard Miho murmur, "Where did he learn such good manners?"

* * *

Makoto skimmed over _The Fox's Wedding_. Over the course of the night he had read it so many times that he had most of the passages memorized. It wasn't his favorite story, but it was the only one he could find in the room and his mind was hungry to read anything.

Makoto sighed and he reread the story yet again. He wondered where the Sultan could be. He found that despite they had only spent a few days together he could not fall asleep without him.

Eventually he replaced the story on its shelf and blew out the lamp's light. Yet all that came to him was a restless night.


	6. Chapter 6: Bliss

_{**06**}_

【**BLISS**】

* * *

"Let's take a walk Mako." The Sultan said. Makoto wasn't sure if Rin had called him Mako as a term of endearment or if he had forgotten his full name yet again.

Makoto always appreciated the relaxation that a Sunday brought. Yet he hadn't expected that the Sultan also took a break on the first day of the week. He glanced at Rin, his appearance was even relaxed yet he still looked regal.

They soon stopped and sat on a bench that was next to a rather large tree. Makoto stole another glance at Rin, who was staring straight ahead. He took in note that his outfit consisted mainly of the colors orange and black.

The olive-haired teenager gave a soft sigh into the peaceful atmosphere, gaining the Sultan's attention. "Are you feeling happy Rin?" He asked. Rin frowned.

"What do mean by that?"

"They say that each color has a meaning. For example one wears red at a wedding because it symbolizes love and sexuality. And white is worn at a funeral because it symbolizes spirituality and mourning." He slowly turned to Rin and smiled. "The color orange means happiness and youthfulness. So you probably unconsciously wore it because you're feeling happy."

Rin gave him an odd look before he turned away and snickered. "You're very cute." The Sultan murmured. Makoto turned away. Out of all people he had not expected his Sultan to tell him that. "I guess I am feeling kind of happy today if you want to call it that."

Makoto nodded. "That's good. You're better when you're happy." He briefly reflected on their wedding night.

"You of all people should know that." Rin suddenly stated. Makoto was taken aback. "Come closer to me, we're practically sitting on each side of the bench." Makoto slowly scooted closer to the Sultan until their sides touched. "I didn't mean this close though."

Makoto flustered and mumbled, "I'm sorry." He attempted to move back but Rin grabbed him suddenly.

"I didn't say move back, did I?" The Sultan chuckled. Makoto wondered if Rin showed this playful personality with anyone else. A small part of the green-eyed boy wanted Rin to only show this side to him.

"I'm sorry." Makoto mumbled again. Rin kissed his cheek. "R-Rin we're outside. We can't do this now." He heard him huff in his ear.

"You're no fun. But at least you have a shred of dignity." He kissed the angle of Makoto's jaw. "At least let me kiss you." Barely a moment passed before Makoto was kissed yet again by the Sultan, yet the kiss they shared was different once again. Rin didn't simply pause at his lips and continue to his neck or give him a quick peck. He actually kissed him for longer than a few seconds.

Makoto was careful not to raise his arms, yet it was difficult. He wanted to return the Sultan's embrace but he knew he would just be pushed away.

When they broke away a string of saliva hung from their lips and Makoto was left panting heavily. "M-My Sultan…" he breathed. Rin grabbed his chin and smirked.

"You want another kiss don't you?" Makoto nodded. "Your wish is my command." They kissed again. Makoto had to ball his hands into fists to fight back his desire. He was then pushed onto his back on the bench.

"W-We—" His words came out in stutters. Rin hushed him with a kiss.

"I know we can't. I just want to kiss you." Makoto blankly nodded and let the Sultan do as he pleased. He found Rin more intoxicating than the sweetest wine.

Makoto felt Rin tense suddenly. "What's wrong?" He asked. The Sultan then disconnected himself from Makoto. The olive-haired boy moaned. "R-Rin—" Rin kissed him one last time before straightening up.

"It seems like we have company." He said. Makoto quickly sat up also. He touched his face, his skin felt like it was scorching. He sat patiently and expected one of the servants to emerge but instead he was greeted by a meow.

Makoto looked down and saw a small white cat with sharp blue eyes gaze up at them. Makoto smiled and did not hesitate to scoop the animal up in his arms. He was thankful that the cat was friendly.

"How did you get here?" He murmured to the cat. The animal immediately meowed as if it understood him. Makoto laughed, delighted. "This cat is adorable." He commented. He turned to see that even Rin seemed amused by the feline.

"He is quite cute." He murmured.

"How do you know that it's a boy cat?" Makoto asked. Rin shrugged.

"I can tell by the way it carries itself. See how he's more prideful and graceful? That's a male cat, I'm sure of it." Makoto glanced at the animal then turned back to Rin with a boyish smile.

"Can I keep him?" He asked. Rin almost laughed at how childish his husband sounded.

"If you want to," the Sultan answered.

"Thank you Rin." Makoto stroked the cat's head, it purred. "I'm going to name you Tanoshi." Rin then laugh, which startled Makoto.

"You're naming the cat 'Fun?' You're like a little kid sometimes." The Sultan then stood up from the bench. Makoto did the same with Tanoshi still in his arms.

"Where are you going?" Makoto asked. Rin smirked and then kissed his forehead.

"You act like I'm not going to take you with me. Let's go Mako." Makoto nodded and followed the Sultan back inside.

de.


	7. Chapter 7: Imagination

_{**07**}_

【**IMAGINATION**】

* * *

It took Makoto a moment to realize that Rin was walking in large circles around the palace. The place was so large that it looked like they were going somewhere different each time. Tanoshi had fallen asleep around the fifth time they had went around palace. "Rin, why are going in circles?" Makoto asked on the eleventh time they went around. Rin shrugged.

"I don't know. We are not supposed to leave the palace on a Sunday and there's nothing else to do. I also want to walk with you." Makoto smiled.

"Can I leave to our room? I'm feeling tired." Rin nodded yet he followed him. Makoto felt uneasy suddenly. When they reached their bedroom he set down Tanoshi on a nearby cushion. The cat did not even stir in its sleep; it simply curled up and snuggled into the cushion. Makoto then sat on the edge of the bed and removed his turban. He stared at the soft green fabric as he heard Rin walked behind him.

"I have never spent so much time with one of my spouses before." He heard Rin murmur. Makoto set down his headdress and turned around. He wanted to comment but decided not to. He wanted to keep the Sultan in his good mood as long as he could. "I'm not sure why I have such a great urge to be around you." Makoto chuckled.

"Many people say that I have that effect on them." He simply said. Makoto then removed his sash to loosen his tunic. "Are you going to sleep also?" He asked. Rin shook his head.

"Come here." Makoto immediately scooted closer to his Sultan. Rin kissed him again. Though weariness still hung on Makoto he returned the kiss with equal favor. He was then pushed onto the bed. He felt the Sultan smile on his lips. Makoto found that it was almost a blissful feeling to be with Rin like this. Yet he knew that the feeling was simply lust. They had known each other for a week. If it weren't for the Sultan's status then Makoto knew that their relationship would be completely different.

Rin suddenly broke away, making the green-eyed boy whimper. "You act like you're afraid to touch me." He whispered directly in Makoto's ear. Makoto felt confused.

"You don't like it when I touched you that one night, remember?" Rin nodded. He then resumed the kiss.

"Matsuoka-dono," a voice said. Makoto froze and he felt the Sultan growl. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Rin glared at Ai.

"No, you're not interrupting anything. Now what do you want to do with Matsuoka?" Ai seemed unfazed by Rin's words.

"Kou-sama requested Matsuoka-dono's presence as soon as possible." Makoto rearranged his clothing and looked at Rin.

"Would you excuse me my Sultan? It seems as though she needs me urgently." Rin glared between Makoto and Ai before he nodded and fell back onto the bed. Makoto stood and followed Ai out into the hallway.

* * *

Before Makoto knocked on Gou's door he heard sniffling. He wanted until the sound stopped before he brought his hand up. "You may enter!" He heard her shout from inside. He made sure to close the door behind him.

Makoto saw no signs of the girl crying. He wondered if the noises were just his imagination. "What did you need Kou?" She suddenly pouted.

"Don't alternate between Gou and Kou, just stick to one." She said. Gou then sat down on her bed. "Also I want to talk to you about something." Makoto stood in front of her. He noticed how petite and small the girl was compared to him.

"What do you want to talk about?" He asked.

"The people that my brother marries always die. I don't know why I said that, that's a known fact." She tapped her chin with her finger in thought. "Yet I could never figure out why at first, but a few marriages back I think I figured it out. It's because he neglects them and eventually starts to abuse them. Rin is very demanding and very intimidating. He also loves sex and he wants to get it when he desires it." Makoto cast his gaze down.

"How did you figure that out?" When he looked up he saw Gou bite her lip.

"It's because when he doesn't have a partner, he goes to people like Ai, Rei-san, Seijuro-san, and Haru-chan. I think that's why Haru is so sad all of time, because he's my brother's play thing in between weddings and funerals." She sighed. "I hope he can forgive me for disclosing that part of his life to you." Makoto shook his head.

"I understand. I'll try to be cautious around the Sultan." She nodded. Her sad expression was then replaced by a happy one.

"I see you've decided to dress more royally. Good job oniisan!" He nodded.

"I always have you in mind when I chose my outfits." She nodded. "I'm going to go return to the Sultan now, have a nice afternoon Gou." She gave a slight wave as he departed from the room. Makoto stood by the door for a moment and pressed his ear against it. There were no sniffling noises. He guessed that it was his imagination after all.


	8. Chapter 8: Jealousy

_{**08**}_

【**JEALOUSY**】

* * *

Before Makoto knew it a year passed. He developed close relationships with the Sultan, Gou, and Haruka over that span of time. The people of the empire were relieved when he showed no signs of depression or anxiety. Makoto had absolutely no desires to take his life. In actuality he wanted to be with Rin as much as he could. He looked forward to when the sun set and Sundays, when he could have the Sultan all to himself. He never wanted those days to change.

Yet everything comes to an end eventually, even Makoto knew that.

Makoto turned around when he felt eyes staring at him. He calmed down when he saw that it was only Haruka. "Good evening Haru-chan. Why are you out so late?"

"Don't call me 'Haru-chan.' My name is already feminine enough." Makoto was quick to notice that Haruka was the only one who treated Makoto as an equal. After they had gotten to know each other some they soon became "Mako" and "Haru-chan" (much to the other's chagrin) to each other. "I want to ask you something." Haru said.

Makoto plastered his usual smile on his face and leaned against a nearby pillar. "You can ask me anything. What is it?" Haruka cleared his throat and looked away.

"Are you faithful to the Sultan?" Makoto furrowed his eyebrows. He could not think of any reason for Haruka, of all people, to ask that.

"I am very faithful to my Sultan. Why do you ask?" Haruka turned around.

"What do you think would happen if you committed adultery?" Makoto was beginning to feel concerned about Haruka's sudden personal questions.

"I would feel guilty knowing that the Sultan his devoting himself to me and that I am not. Why?" He repeated. Haruka grabbed the front of his robes suddenly and pressed their foreheads together.

"You're such a good man Mako." Makoto gulped. He grabbed Haruka by the shoulders and shoved the other off of him.

"Nanase Haruka, what are you doing?" He asked. He saw that Haruka was shocked with the tone of voice he was using. Makoto was known for being a gentle giant. But even people with easygoing personalities like him had to become stern from time to time.

"I want you Mako. Please take me." Makoto shook his head and immediately let go of his friend.

"What has gotten into you? You've never acted like this before." Makoto frowned. Thinking back over the previous month he noticed that Haruka had acted strangely. He would oddly stare at Makoto and give him extra attention. He even noticed Haruka spying on him on a few occasions. Makoto then softened his gaze. "Oh Haru-chan, you couldn't have…" He trailed off when he saw the pained look in Haruka's eyes.

"Good night." He sharply said. Before any more words could be exchanged Haruka disappeared into the night.

* * *

Gou seemed to notice the tension between Haruka and Makoto at the next day's supper. "Did you two have an argument? You're not even looking at one another." Haruka simply shrugged and walked away. Makoto noticed that his plate was sloppily arranged compared to everyone else's. His meat even seemed a bit overcooked. Yet he ate anyways. His food tasted odd though.

"Everything's find Gou-chan, there's no need to worry about us." Gou frowned.

"But oniisan–"

"Gou-chan, don't worry?" Makoto said with a smile. He took a sip of his wine. He almost spat it out. It tasted stale. Yet he pretended that everything was fine and simply traded out the goblet for some water. His water tasted odd also. There was nothing practically out of the ordinary about it; it just seemed different to Makoto. He finished the water nonetheless and then excused himself from the table. He couldn't handle the bitter atmosphere that had filled the room.

* * *

Makoto turned over and saw that his Sultan had already left. He felt an odd pain in his abdomen. Makoto then grabbed the wicker basket that sat at the foot of the bed and hunched over it. He would've been saddened to see vomit but instead he saw blood in the basket. The bright red liquid only invited him to hurl more of it up until he was left a coughing mess.

When Makoto was sure he was finished he looked down at the basket. The basket was rather large yet it was near to the halfway mark with his blood. Great fear rattled deep inside of his core. He tried to think of reasons why he would vomit blood. Something inside of him might have been torn or ruptured. Makoto felt tears sting his eyes at that thought. He didn't want something be wrong with him, and then people would worry, especially his family if the news was brought to them.

Makoto immediately disposed of the wicker basket and his bloodied clothes before he went off into the palace. His stomach still felt uneasy but he blamed it on nervousness.

"Good morning Matsuoka-dono!" He heard behind him. Makoto turned a bit too quickly. Ai frowned. "Are you alright Matsuoka-dono? You look very pale." Makoto shook his head and put on a reassuring smile.

"Good morning Ai-kun. Nothing is wrong with me. Please continue with your day." Ai, though he still looked worried, could not disobey someone so superior to him. He continued on down the hallway. Makoto noticed that the boy was wearing a tunic, yet he was still shoeless. Makoto sighed. Things had to be taken one step at a time.

As he walked on he felt his stomach lurch again. He soon found himself doubled over and spewing outside. He heard someone yell behind him. He recognized the voice as a servant. Soon almost the entire palace's servants surrounded him. He felt like their worries were in the distance as blood pounded in his ears. Soon Makoto collapsed.

* * *

"Ah, you've awaken Matsuoka-dono. You scared many of the servants." Makoto weakly smiled at the physician.

"I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to scare them." He coughed suddenly. The physician looked frightened for a moment before he returned to his calm composure.

"Do you recognize me Matsuoka-dono?" Makoto studied his face for a moment before it came to him.

"You are the husband of Tamura-san, correct? She had mentioned before that her husband was a doctor. Thank you for taking care of me Tamura-san." Tamura simply shook his head.

"You don't have to thank me. In all honesty I haven't done much but swaddled you like an infant in blankets and watched you sleep. You're breathing is a bit too shallow for my liking Matsuoka-dono." Makoto nodded.

"Do you know what's wrong with me? I don't understand why I keep on vomiting blood." Tamura raised his eyebrows.

"Are you saying that this happened before?" Makoto slowly nodded. He explained how he had vomited blood that morning and then again that afternoon. "Do you feel sick now?" Tamura asked. Makoto shook his head.

"Does the Sultan know about my condition?" Tamura sighed and brought a bowl to Makoto's lips. It took a moment for the olive-haired teenager to realize that he was drinking water.

"Yes, the Sultan has been informed of your illness. Yet he could not come immediately, he is attending a very important meaning. He sent his sincerest apologies." Makoto nodded.

"What do you think is wrong?" Tamura sighed and set the bowl of water down. Makoto could tell that the older man was upset by the fact that he hadn't drunk much. Though his throat was dry Makoto feared that the water would simply make him vomit once more.

"I'm not exactly sure. I have seen cases where people cough blood. But that's something completely different from vomiting blood. I would assume that you tore something inside of you, but I'm not exactly certain. There's also the possibility that you have been poisoned." Makoto felt his eyes widen at the word "poison."

"D-Do you think that I'll become better?" Tamura gave him a reassuring smile.

"I didn't mean to worry you Matsuoka-dono. I am hoping that you'll stop by the next week. If not then we have something worry about." Makoto gave a small nod. "Now, will you please rest some more for me Matsuoka-dono?" Makoto nodded again and sunk back into the pillows underneath him.


	9. Chapter 9: Death

_{**09**}_

【**DEATH**】

* * *

When Makoto awoke again he saw a worried Sultan by his side. He mustered a weak smile. "Good morning my Sutlan," he said. Rin frowned.

"It's evening. You've been asleep for two days." Makoto frowned also. "You're worrying everyone. Tamura said that your condition has only worsened." Makoto nodded. A coughing fit briefly took over him, making Rin's frown deepen.

"I'm sorry for worrying everyone." Makoto murmured. Rin shook his head.

"You can't apologize for throwing up blood. That's something that can't be helped." He leaned in and kissed Makoto. When he leaned back he had a gnarled expression. "You taste like blood." He muttered.

Makoto coughed again. This time when he looked at his hand dark liquid covered it. The Sultan then left to retrieve the doctor. When they returned Makoto was still coughing. Rin handed Tamura a basket and the green-eyed boy immediately vomited again. There was only blood in the basket.

Tamura wiped away the blood on Makoto's lips with a silk cloth and sighed. "Matsuoka-dono, I'm at a loss." He murmured. Makoto turned his eyes to Rin. The Sultan did not look angry, sad, or even worried. He wore the same blank expression he had on their wedding night.

Makoto wanted to smile but he had no energy left. On the command of Tamura he closed his eyes yet no sleep came to him. After a moment he heard Tamura and the Sultan speak.

"My most sincere apologizes my Sultan, but I'm afraid that Matsuoka-dono is not going to make it."

"How long does he have to live?" There was a sigh.

"I am going to estimate one more week. Once again, I am very sorry. I predict that he will die of too much blood lost if he continues."

"Can't you just put more blood into his system?"

"Putting one persons's blood into another has proved to be very fatal. It's like the blood destroys itself and the person dies."

"Thank you for your service Tamura. Now please return home to your wife." Makoto then heard the door close and another sigh.

"Makoto," he heard Rin whisper. He soon fell asleep to the sounds of his Sultan breathing.

* * *

The next week mainly consisted of Makoto sleeping and continuing to spew blood. Everyone in the palace had never felt so concerned for one of the Sultan's spouses before. They even wished death on a few of them. Yet Makoto managed to touch every one of their hearts with a soft smile and kind words.

A voice whispering, "Onii," broke Makoto out of his slumber. He gave a brief smile towards Gou but let it wilt when he felt his energy give out. He wondered if he was dying at that very moment. It took too much for him to smile.

"Hello Gou-chan." He said. He saw the girl falter some at the sound of how weak his voice was. "Am I presentable?" She nodded.

"They wouldn't have let me visit if you weren't." She sighed. "They've dressed you in a white turban and a green robe." She murmured.

"So they dressed me like I've died already?" He saw tears water in the corner of Gou's eyes. He regretted his words. "Where is Haru-chan?" She dabbed at her eyes with a cloth.

"Haru-chan is very busy at the moment." He nodded.

"Thank you for visiting me Gou-chan." She began to sob.

"I don't want you to die this way. For anything you could've committed suicide like the rest of them. I don't want my nii to be in pain like this." Makoto was going to reassure her that he was fine, but her words were true. He was in constant pain and was extremely weakened. He could barely raise his arms.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. Gou then began to cry even louder.

"And you look horrible. You look like you've died already." She reached out to him yet held her arms back. A woman was not allowed to touch him while he was in such a sick state. "Please don't leave me oniichan." At the word "oniichan" Makoto thought back to the bright eyes of his brother and sister. His family would be devastated.

"I'm sorry." Makoto repeated he then closed his eyes. "I'm going to sleep now Gou-chan." Yet when sleep took him he could still hear her crying.


	10. Chapter 10: Life

_{**10**}_

【**LIFE**】

* * *

Makoto felt a bright light hit his eyelids. He slowly opened them and saw that he was outside. "W-Why…?" He murmured. He turned to his side to see that the Sultan was holding him in his lap. "Rin, why am I outside?" He asked. Rin simply looked down at him silently.

"I thought that you would like it." He stated. "We're at the place where you found Tanoshi. Do you remember that day?" Makoto nodded. "I also changed your clothes while you wear asleep." He said. Makoto looked down. He was wearing yellow, the color of aristocracy and courage. He turned back to Rin and smiled.

"Why did you choose yellow? I should be dressed in white." He felt the Sultan tense.

"No!" Rin had never used such a harsh voice in Makoto's presence.

"I'm sorry." Makoto said. He began to cough. He would literally fell life leaving his body. The coughing grew greater. "R-Rin…" Makoto breathed. The Sultan gave his husband all of his attention. "I'm very, very sorry." He said.

"You shouldn't be apologizing. In all honesty I should. Everyone close to me always dies." Makoto attempted to raise his hand but he barely got his fingers to go upwards. Yet the Sultan noticed this small movement and entwined their fingers together.

"Don't say that." Makoto whispered. Rin shook his head.

"But it's true. My father drowned, my mother slit her throat over it, my sister attempted the same twice, and all of my husbands and wives have died. Now you're going to leave me too." He softly traced Makoto's cheek as if he was made of porcelain. "You can't just leave me like this Makoto." Makoto gasped. He felt the Sultan's breath hitch at that. "What's wrong?" Rin asked.

Makoto shook his head. "You said my name. Thank you." He felt his chest begin to seize. "Do you have a cloth with you?" He asked. Rin pulled out a cloth from his robes. Makoto held the fabric to his mouth and began to cough his body's contents. A dizzying feeling then made way to his mind. He felt his heart go out like a candle's light. And then he was gone.

* * *

The servants were shocked to find a dead Makoto in the Sultan's arms. They were even more shocked to see that the Sultan wasn't even saddened. He looked utterly empty and hopeless. It took them a moment to convince their Sultan to hand over Makoto.

Makoto's wake was quiet. The Sultan had invited that Tachibana family and even bought them all new white clothing to wear. The silence was broken by Rin when he saw crematorium technician enter the room. "Do not cremate him." He said. Everyone turned to him.

"But my Sultan, it is tradition to cremate the–"

"We are not cremating him!" He yelled. The Sultan's words were final. The technician immediately left. Sakiko turned to the Sultan and bowed.

"Thank you." She murmured. Rin said nothing.

* * *

"My Sultan," Haruka bowed. Rin stared at him. He then brought out a sword from behind his back. "I believe you will find this useful." Rin raised an eyebrow.

"Are you implying for me to kill myself?" Haruka looked up at him. Dead blue eyes told all.

"I am implying for you to kill me. I was the one who made Matsuoka-dono sick." Anger bubbled inside the Sultan. "I poisoned his food. If you will like to seek revenge, then do it." Rin took the sword from the cook's hands.

"Why would you do such a thing?"

"I had a plan." Haruka then settled himself on his knees before the Sultan. "I wanted to kill us both. Perhaps in another life he will want me." Rin scowled.

"You did this because you want Makoto to be your own?" Haruka nodded. "That is punishable by death." Rin raised the sword into the air before throwing it onto the ground. "Yet Makoto would never forgive me if I killed you." The people of the palace found it heartbreaking that the Sultan referred to Makoto in the present tense.

Haruka stared wide-eyed at the Sultan. "B-But my Sultan–" Rin growled.

"Get out my palace." He said. Haruka immediately stood and left.

* * *

"Oniisama," Gou called out. Her brother had held his head in his hands for nearly all the day. "I brought you supper." She set a bowl of green curry at his feet. The Matsuoka siblings sighed when they looked at the food.

"Thank you little sister." He said. Gou nodded and turned to leave.

* * *

"My Sultan, do you think that it's a good idea to marry again? This will be your forty-seventh marriage." Rin growled.

"A man said that to me once, and you know what I did?" The guard shook his head. "I married his son and he died, that's what I did. Now get out, you are banished from my empire."

"B-But my Sultan–"

"Will you like your wife and daughter to die also? Get out." The guard bowed, handed over his sword, and left the palace. Rin turned toward his other guards and servants. "I'm not going to marry again." He stated. He then stood and left the room.

"I see he still grieves over Makoto-dono after all these years." One servant murmured. Yet Rin still overheard the words.

"Yes I do." He whispered to himself as he began to walk in circle around the palace. On his fifth time around he noticed a small white cat dart pass his feet. He sighed and continued walking.


End file.
